The country on October 1, woke up to the news that DCI officials had gunned down three suspected terrorists and arrested seven more in what was touted as 'one of the worst terrorist incidents' in the country had it been carried through.
In the brazen operation, over 1,600 rounds of ammunition, a grenade, G3 rifle among other assorted weapons were confiscated.
Also recovered were 68 Air Rifle Pellets, 5KG of Ammonium Nitrate (Bomb Making materials), Nine Balaclavas, Military/Police Uniforms, and Military Holsters & Porches.
The DCI managed to forestall the disaster due to a well-orchestrated scheme that ended up catching the suspects unawares.
The Standard reported on Thursday, October 3, that the high-profile arrests and the seizure of the weapons were all thanks to an informer who briefed the DCI about the impending attacks.
The informer is reported to have told the police that the attackers, who had come into the country from Somalia, had set their sights on key installations at the Coast and also the upcoming Mashujaa Day festivities to inflict maximum damage.
The paper further reported that information concerning the attack had been leaked a month before the high profile arrests, with the investigative agencies launching a secret operation to monitor the movement and communication patterns of the suspected terrorists.
The secret mission led to the arrest of a man who yielded information about the key strategy that the terrorists had selected to avoid detection by the authorities.
The man is reported to have intimated that there were seven terrorists who were coming into the country using police vehicles and vehicles branded with the logo of an international humanitarian organization.
The DCI then released an internal communique on September 28, 2019, informing the police officers in Mombasa that seven al-Shabaab operatives had been sent to stage attacks in Kwale and Kilifi counties.
The information then led to the raid and arrest of the seven suspects and the fatal shooting of three others.
The Coastal region is reported to be on high alert, however, with the search for a former al-Shabaab commander who was reported to have returned to the country on September 24, ongoing.
